


The Garden

by apollostrials



Series: On New Wings [2]
Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018), Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018) RPF
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Novella, madam spellman the seed, the OG story is complicated so I wrote this to maybe explain some background things, whoop more feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:41:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22230481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apollostrials/pseuds/apollostrials
Summary: A collection of supplementary stories to "Madam Spellman: The Seed" delving further into the dynamics between the characters in that story....|| Madam Spellman focused, P.O.V.s are subject to change ||- I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS -
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Zelda Spellman & Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith, Zelda Spellman/Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith
Series: On New Wings [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1338655
Comments: 5
Kudos: 44





	1. The Athame

_Set between chapters 12 and 13 in "The Seed"_

"Mother, we should talk." 

Lilith sat in her office, tense and waiting for her daughter to come back to her with hopeful news about Zelda's trek in Hell. She admired her High Priestess for going against the odds and trying to find her weapon she had foolishly buried all those years ago, but she was still nervous about the effects of Hell on an unwelcome body, and the fact that the weapon was buried underneath the castle of a Prince of Hell... 

There were so many terrible odds, and Lilith couldn't lift a finger to help by the ancient rules. Gods was she frustrated. 

"By the crown you adorn on your head so happily, Zelda better have had gotten back to the Church safely." 

Avnas brushed her off.

"Of course she did mother, I wouldn't have sought an audience with you otherwise. But there are more important things happening now. I saw Zelda Spellman kill Caliban with the flames of heaven. She was positively glowing, she was... like an avenging Angel, or perhaps something more sinister. Your High Priestess is the weapon of the prophecy. Spellman _is_ your Athame!" 

The Queen of Hell looked on with disbelief. There wasn't a possibility that Zelda was the weapon of the prophecy: there couldn't have been. The implications of that... Lilith couldn't imagine. 

"Avnas you must be misspeaking. Perhaps my Athame-"

"The physical sword of steel and moonstone is dead, mother. She has the power to defeat the other princes of Hell that are her responsibility. I remember you told me how you failed to get the Athame in the forest, but that Zelda was with you. You said that it was weird how you tried to teleport yourself to where you thought you would find it and then ended up bumping into Zelda instead. That's not a coincidence! Your body knows how to find your power, you did! Mother, you took yourself to the Athame and you didn't even know it was your High Priestess." Avnas took a breath, elation covering her face, beautiful as it was with her glamour. 

"It's time for you to assemble the other princesses of Hell, and it's time for me to finally do some redecorating!" 

"Now, hold on. If Zelda is the weapon of the prophecy, and that is a big _if,_ that would mean she would also be responsible for sacrificing herself on my behalf. I promised-"

"What? That you would protect her? She's a self-appointed High Priestess who has a history of being advantageous when it comes to gaining power. Who knows mother, maybe she would be ecstatic about how her legacy contributed to the salvation of Hell, and the witch world and her family. All of that boring, romantic shit the other world thinks of. Besides, power demands sacrifice. Both of us know it, Zelda knows it. Don't let your Shakespearean lust for her distract you from what you've wanted since you crawled out of the garden. After all, even Shakespeare understood sacrifice. And if you let the prophecy fail and Lucifer comes back and overpowers you, she won't be alive long anyway." 

Avnas was right, Lilith knew that much. But the thought of Zelda dying so she could secure her throne and crown left a bitter taste in her mouth. The Queen had struggled tirelessly to gain Zelda's trust, had craved her worship and her acceptance like a man stranded in the desert craved for the dew on cactuses. Maybe her being Lilith's Athame explained it, maybe the prophecy gave her a reason to want Zelda the way she wanted her. Inappropriate though it may be. It was messed up, and she was so angry at the cruelty of the world. 

Lilith always seemed to be losing something trying to gain something else. Her power in the garden for freedom. Her freedom in the wilderness for a false love and a crown she worked towards and never received until she finally learned how to stand up for herself. 

Now she would be losing the only person she actually trusted, the only one in this universe who she called her friend with no doubt, to make sure that she would survive. But it was worse because Lucifer did need to die for good; now that there was a coven and her allies in Hell to protect, and Zelda had to die for all of this to happen. 

She blinked away the tears before she gave herself away.

"Self-preservation, remember? That's what you always taught me." The older demoness took a deep breath of her own, controlling her features the way a Queen should, despite the turmoil building inside of her. 

"Fine, child. We will tell her about the prophecy in a few days after we clean up the mess your quest left behind. But there will be no mention of the sacrifice, not until I think I can ask that of her." Avnas shrugged, not caring either way. She probably thought that Lilith would do whatever it took to keep her royal status when push came to shove. She was probably right.

"Whatever you say. I'll be in my new castle if you need me, and ring me before we ascend to spread the good news. Caio!" Avnas replied with a smug look, disappearing in a flourish of flames. 

A tear did escape Lilith's eye once she left, but it was wiped away quickly and angrily. She had no time for tears, there was too much work to do. She rummaged through her desk, files of demons: enemies and friends, were stacked in the between manila folders that looked out of place in Hell. The demoness almost laughed to herself, thinking that her time as Mary Wardwell on earth had her organizing more like a teacher than a powerful witch. Other things had changed about her too, in the mortal world, like this stupid ache in her heart she shouldn't have. 

"You really have to get it together, Lilith." She whispered to herself. And tried her hardest the rest of that warm evening in Hell to push away her mortal feelings as she checked things off of her ever extensive to-do lists. 

The demoness knew that once she saw Zelda again, her resolve would crumble and she would have to start back again at square one. There was something about those curious green eyes that trusted Lilith to do the right thing, that ached for her to be successful and that wanted someone to believe in. A diety that the coven could follow and love and be loved by. 

Damn did she try to be all those things, but it felt like the reigns were slipping from her fingers, not that there was anyone for her to burden with her doubts. Well, there was Zelda, but now she was a big part of those doubts. The loneliness that Lucifer always chided her about crept in as the hours swept by and she felt more and more like she was failing at the turn of the clock. 

Before long she realized her only escape from her thoughts was foxglove induced sleep, so she laid between the sheets of a bed she rarely used, and closed her eyes waiting for the magic root to kick in. Her eyes began to droop.

She thought once more of soft green eyes and fiery red hair. Of un-cautious words spilling from bold lips. She thought briefly of how those lips would taste; like cigarettes and sugar from coffee, like ancient magic and the tartness from pomegranate wine. 

Blue flames, perfect points of heavenly fire danced on Lilith's fingertips and she watched them wondering why the fates would choose such a beautiful woman to give such a horrible curse to. 

"I'm so sorry Zelda. I really am." 


	2. The Waiting Game

_Set between chapters 17 and 18 in "The Seed"_

Three a.m. 's in Zelda's bed with the scent of her soap, a wonderful mix of rose and mint, between them, had Lilith feeling foreign things deep within her.

The other woman was still asleep, soft snores barely disrupting the silence of the night, head heavy on Lilith's breasts and a hand placed gently over the right side of her ribs. She was rightfully exhausted from their rounds of sex that had Lilith blushing like a virgin when she thought about it. Zelda was extraordinarily talented, attentive and gentle (rough when she wanted her to be). Her previous millennia of experience was incomparable, and if she could, she would forget Hell and let Zelda ravage her forever.

Tapping on the window disrupted her hazy thoughts. Stolas, her third revived familiar, sat on the window impatiently.

"I'm coming you stupid bird." She whispered under her breath. Slowly, she removed herself from under Zelda, grey-green eyes opening in confusion at the loss of contact.

"Lilith?"

"I'll be back, don't worry," Her eyes fluttered back to a close, and she kissed her softly before making her way outside.

Lilith tightened the borrowed robe around herself when the chill of the night hit her. Avnas, dressed in the regalia of Hell with her diadem placed securely in her curls, waited for her at the bottom of the steps looking healthy enough not to warrant too much concern from the older demoness.

"My queen," She bowed, but Lilith wasn't having it. She found her way down the front steps and into the grass and brought the younger demon into her arms. If Avnas was surprised, she didn't show it for very long, allowing herself to be held if only for a brief moment.

"Should I thank Zelda Spellman for turning you so affectionate?" Avnas joked.

"You haven't seen me for weeks and the first thing you do is tease me?" Lilith asked once they had pulled away from each other, Avnas smiled.

"Not true, I bowed my obeisance first. At any rate, I have much time to make up for. Two princes of Hell have passed and you are two more seals closer to godhood. How does it feel? To almost be a god?" Lilith blinked, feelings conflicting in her chest about the whole situation. She had run her hands through Zelda waves of red hair and asked herself what it would mean to be a god, she had kissed her forehead gently in those moments when she was close to waking and asked herself what it would mean to lose her.

"Godhood? It feels further away than it does close. We have three more seals to break yet and then-"

"The sacrifice... which I sense your hesitance for."

"I just, I'm not sure if I can, Avnas. Sacrifice my High Priestess for godhood. I'm already the Queen of Hell, isn't that enough?" Avnas sighed.

"Gods, mother, I wish it was. I truly do. I see how much you love your Zelda, even if you cannot admit that to yourself. But it is obvious, for Hell's sake, I know those aren't your robes you came outside in. But Lucifer will be set free when the final prince of Hell is killed. If you are not at your full power by then, if she does not die, I truly see no other option..."

"I've spent the past few weeks talking to gods and oracles, and reading tome after tome. My daughter, if nothing gives me another option, what am I supposed to do?" There was a pause, and in the stillness through the blurriness of unshed tears, Lilith saw Avnas make a decision.

"If it came down to it, if we had no other choice, I know that you would not want to kill your lover. But I could do it, loath as I'd be to have any innocent blood on my hands, I could. It would hurt a lot less bad for me than it would if you had to." A few tears shed, and a sharp pressure was felt in her chest, but she agreed anyway because Avnas was right. It would hurt either way, but she would feel a special kind of trauma if she had to kill Zelda herself.

"You will have to tell her eventually, it's only right. If she loves you, she'll understand." And maybe she would. But her family would not. Lilith thought about how Zelda's death would affect others; how her sister would lose her other half, how Ambrose and Sabrina would be distraught and finally, how Leticia and Judas would lose the only mother they had ever known. It would be Lilith's fault, all of that destruction.

Lilith did not want her godhood to be built like Lucifer's false godhood was. She wanted to be a creator, she had destroyed enough in her life.

"Only if there is no other way, then I will, I promise. Have you appointed the new princesses to replace Mammon and Asmodon?" Thankfully, Avnas let her change the subject without a fight. With a flourish of her hand, documents appeared and they were placed in Lilith's possession. Two of her daughters, Gaki and Bala'im were picked, both powerful demonesses in their own right. Maps laid out their new territories in Pandemonium, Gaki's directly left of Avnas' and Bala'im's closest to the palace.

"They've both been brung up to speed on how things work in Hell's royalty. Very little uprisings have been had. Many are waiting for the final battle to commence. They want to know who is going to win. My sisters and I are ready to fight with you until the end. You have our word as well as our armies."

"Thank you for your allegiance and your sisters as well."

"I will be happy to pass on the message. And, mother?"

"Yes my child?"

"Even if you do not reach godhood in the way the prophecy pushes for you, to me, you will always be the rightful ruler of Hell." Before Lilith could reply, Avnas was off in her signature flames. Stolas flew off too, his job being done for the night. The queen of Hell clutched onto the documents, knowing that they would need her official signature before she returned to the pit, and walked carefully back into the house to return to Zelda's comfort.

She tried to blink away any distress she may have been displaying on her face before she opened the door to Zelda's room again. Carefully, Lilith placed the documents on the bedside table, stripping herself of the robe she had borrowed, and slipped back into bed with Zelda who immediately returned to her.

"Everything okay?"

"Everything's perfect," She answered, though things on Lilith's end were far from perfect.

"Good," She heard the smile in Zelda's voice. It brought a smile to her own face. There were more gods, more tomes, more oracles to consult. Lilith was a selfish woman, and damn the prophecy and whatever it wished for her. She would keep her throne and her crown and her lover's life. She hoped they'd find it quickly enough. She hoped it would come knocking on their door.

"Sweet dreams, my High Priestess, sweet dreams." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally updating this novella! Will also be updating "The Seed" and "Roses Look How Love Feels" this week while I am still on break! Thank you for your comments and feedback on all of my works, very appreciated and loved!! <3


	3. At Her Core, She Is Love

_Between Chapter 21 and 22 of "The Seed"_

How Lilith found herself in front of Mary Wardwell's cottage was beyond her. 

She had gone back to Hell, had screamed until her throat was raw, had snapped at Avnas the entire time they were planning for the frequent battles that had plagued Hell to the point where she snapped back and told Lilith to _do it herself_ if she couldn't do anything right. 

Then she had drunk, cursed her tolerance, and realized she had no one to talk to. And weirdly enough, she wanted someone else to share this burden. Zelda had come to mind, but Zelda was the problem. Or rather, Lilith was the problem and Zelda was the subject of Lilith being one.

Their argument was on a tortuous repeat, and it was Lilith's fault why they had gotten to that point. More than that, she felt a pressing, excessive guilt that would plague her forever she was sure. 

She had told Zelda that she did not love her, which was a worse lie than _not_ telling her she was doomed to die. Lilith did love her, so deeply and terribly, that the thought of losing her had ended with her pushing her away. It was evil, and no matter how Lilith felt-or how justified it seemed in the moment- she shouldn't have made Zelda feel like Lilith had used her too. Like everyone else that Zelda had opened up to her about, like _Blackwood,_ and Lilith had promised her in her own way that she wouldn't do the same... 

What kind of queen, what kind of _god_ could Lilith be if she couldn't protect the one person who had trusted her the most. 

"Lilith?" Mary Wardwell appeared from behind her heavy wooden door. It was late enough where Lilith believed she might be asleep- a part of her hesitance in knocking in the first place. But Mary, always the night owl, was more than awake and dressed in a simple robe that Lilith had skipped over in her time living in the cottage. 

"Why don't you come in?" Mary continued, "I'll make some tea." Without giving Lilith much of a choice, the door left open in an invitation, she went to go perform the task. Lilith was right behind her. 

From a glance, she noticed that the cottage hadn't changed much. The cross had been righted, but Adam had done that when he was here. A small pang was felt in her chest, and she physically rubbed it away. There was no use lingering on the others that she couldn't save. 

"I have a few options but, seeing as the hibiscus was low when I, well, returned to myself, I assume that this is your favorite." The cup was placed gently in her hands, and Lilith realized she had not said anything since arriving. 

"Thank you, Mary." Her voice scraped horribly in her throat, and she ceased talking to sip gingerly on the tea. 

The silence was somewhere in between awkward and comfortable, both women at home in the living room in front of the fireplace, and seemingly lost at what to say.

In an attempt to break the silence, Mary said: 

"This is less weird than I thought it might be, having us both here, seeing my face on you. Maybe it's because you wear it so differently, it's like having a sister rather than-"

"A demon? Who drinks up all of your hibiscus tea?" Mary gave a genuine smile at the joke, it was nice to see her more at peace after the ordeal that both Lilith and Lucifer had put her through. Lilith still felt like she hadn't done enough to make up for it, and with that fresh on her mind, her countenance fell back to its solemn state. 

"You don't have to share with me, but if you'd like to talk, I can always listen." Empathetic Mary Wardwell, and all the positive things about this woman that had led Lilith straight to her doorstep. 

"Have you forgiven me, Mary? For all of my trespasses against you?" To Lilith's surprise, there was no hesitation in Mary's answer. 

"Yes, I have. Otherwise, I wouldn't have invited you in. I've warded the place heavily since I learned about my magic." Though she hadn't noticed before, the slight shimmer around the cottage came into focus at a second glance. And Mary, beaming with pride at her accomplishment, brought a demure smile to Lilith's face as well. 

"Smart witch," She responded. 

"Thank you, Lilith, for helping me. That's why it was so easy to forgive you if you were wondering, because you cared enough to make things right. And besides, you didn't have a choice. How could I continue to fault you for something you wouldn't have done otherwise?" 

Her words struck Lilith in a weird way, and they were suggesting the opposite of what Lilith currently thought of herself about what she had done to Zelda. 

"How can you be so sure that I wouldn't have done, _all_ of the horrible things I have done, otherwise? How do you know that I am not evil, in my nature?" Mary's hand came over her own on the table between them, comforting and assuring. 

"I cannot believe anything different than what you've proven yourself to be, Lilith. And that is not evil." There was a pause before Mary continued, empowered to share all of what she could offer to the older witch. "When I returned to Baxter High to teach, people were confused about my sudden rechange in appearance which, is more than understandable. More than that, I received a lot of thanks and praise from students about that which you did. And Rosalind and Theo, after an apology that lasted thirty minutes too long, told me about all that you did for them as well. I believe they miss you very much, including Harvey. I have to admit, I was becoming quite jealous." 

Lilith laughed a little at that, admitting to herself that she had become partial to those three. And she wiped an unexpected tear that made its path down her angular face. 

"Not to mention all that you've done for your coven. I've spent much time talking to the members and they seem, freer, in a sense. They talk as if a collective weight has been lifted off of their shoulders. Further proving that you aren't the one we should be afraid of, and after this impending war is over, you won't have to be afraid of him either." 

Mary was right, the more that Lilith thought of it, that the coven was freer-and that Lilith was still very much afraid. Yet it was less of a fear of Lucifer, whom she had become numb to since greater fears had arisen since, but more of a fear that she would fail. That she _had_ failed. She couldn't see a world where she could protect Zelda, and Hell, and her coven from Lucifer, or where she was competent enough to do so without becoming a god, despite what she had boasted to Zelda during their fight. 

It hit her, as it often did these days, that there were too many counting on her. From the woman she loved, that she had already disappointed so despicably in the last twenty-four hours, to the mortals like Rosalind, Theo, and Harvey, who had annoyingly became important to her in the few months that she had posed as Mary Wardwell. 

And Mary too... Mary needed her as well, to be strong enough to do this. 

Now, Lilith thought, that she needed Mary too.

"Mary, I need your help with something." 

She had gone on to explain to the newer witch the situation, even touching on the rift she had made between Zelda and herself at her lie. She remained nonchalant as possible, but Mary could sense that it hurt Lilith more than she was letting on. 

Mary was also filled in on the prophecy, how Lilith needed to find a way to save Zelda because Zelda was reckless enough to sacrifice herself, and Lilith had been stupid enough to encourage her to do so. 

"I'd be happy to do this for you. Neither of you deserves that type of pain." Mary drew in a deep breath, and her determination set in; it made Lilith all the more sure that a solution would be found. "I'm a fresh pair of eyes in the magic world, maybe I'll catch something no one else thought about?" 

"Even if you can't, thank you for helping me." 

Mary's eyes reflected a contagious hope that Lilith would catch if she stared at them too long. And maybe another contagion too, a bug that made Lilith feel bigger than she had felt these past few weeks- and more capable. 

Mary Wardwell had a strange ability to fix a person's soul, and that was a magic that Lilith would probably always covet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mary Wardwell is literally out here about to save everyone's ass like the baddie she is, and we love her for it!!

**Author's Note:**

> Lilith has a lot of self-reflection to do. Hopefully, she figures everything out before it's too late...


End file.
